A note about notes...
I teach note-taking -- and grade it.
It's often assumed that students have that skill, but schools don't often teach any strategies. I do.
Over the course of the year, students may take notes in a variety of ways, all of which are designed to promote reading comprehension (plot) as well as interpretation and connection (thought).
I often teach versions of 2.6.2 notes (also called the Cornell system), mind-mapping, charting on a graphic organizer, and writing discussion questions. All these types of notes require some student effort at thinking, not simply gathering plot events.
Notes: Learning Made Visible!
Notes are a tool. They allow the student to construct information by themselves, for themselves. Taking notes helps students practice sorting and selecting and combining. The notes are a starting point, not just an arrival point.
The research shows that note-taking is crucial, especially for college-bound students. Taking notes helps students stay attentive while they do the work, but organizing notes spatially builds stronger connections. Taking notes enhances learning because the very practice demands the ability to identify ideas and organize them (subordinate details under the related primary ideas). This improves recall of the material (great for tests!). Taking notes helps us think and make connections, too. Studies show that note-taking can promote synthesis of ideas, too: the putting together of new ideas, connecting ideas across texts.
Isn't all that what learning is REALLY about? I believe so. So if note-taking helps us with storing, learning, and thinking, then we should learn it and practice the skill.
I collect and grade student notes. I'm looking for completeness, thoroughness, and attention to detail of plot (summary), but as the reading progresses I'm also looking for student analysis and/or response (interpretation).
Here are some sample notes in a variety of formats. Please note the difference in effort and analysis between the versions!
LRRH 2.6.2 notes (A version has some attempt at analysis, with no additions from class discussion)
LRRH 2.6.2 notes (C version, plot only, with no additions from class discussion)
LRRH 2.6.2 notes (with additions from class discussion)
LRRH Tweet Form notes
LRRH Freytag's Pyramid notes
LRRH Chart notes (A version has some attempt at analysis)
LRRH Chart notes (C version, plot only!)
LRRH MindMap notes
LRRH Past/Present notes (DoaS format)
LRRH One Word: Summary + text excerpts + images
Looking for law-ruled paper (for 2*6*2 notes)? Link to scanned copy.
It's often assumed that students have that skill, but schools don't often teach any strategies. I do.
Over the course of the year, students may take notes in a variety of ways, all of which are designed to promote reading comprehension (plot) as well as interpretation and connection (thought).
I often teach versions of 2.6.2 notes (also called the Cornell system), mind-mapping, charting on a graphic organizer, and writing discussion questions. All these types of notes require some student effort at thinking, not simply gathering plot events.
Notes: Learning Made Visible!
Notes are a tool. They allow the student to construct information by themselves, for themselves. Taking notes helps students practice sorting and selecting and combining. The notes are a starting point, not just an arrival point.
The research shows that note-taking is crucial, especially for college-bound students. Taking notes helps students stay attentive while they do the work, but organizing notes spatially builds stronger connections. Taking notes enhances learning because the very practice demands the ability to identify ideas and organize them (subordinate details under the related primary ideas). This improves recall of the material (great for tests!). Taking notes helps us think and make connections, too. Studies show that note-taking can promote synthesis of ideas, too: the putting together of new ideas, connecting ideas across texts.
Isn't all that what learning is REALLY about? I believe so. So if note-taking helps us with storing, learning, and thinking, then we should learn it and practice the skill.
I collect and grade student notes. I'm looking for completeness, thoroughness, and attention to detail of plot (summary), but as the reading progresses I'm also looking for student analysis and/or response (interpretation).
Here are some sample notes in a variety of formats. Please note the difference in effort and analysis between the versions!
LRRH 2.6.2 notes (A version has some attempt at analysis, with no additions from class discussion)
LRRH 2.6.2 notes (C version, plot only, with no additions from class discussion)
LRRH 2.6.2 notes (with additions from class discussion)
LRRH Tweet Form notes
LRRH Freytag's Pyramid notes
LRRH Chart notes (A version has some attempt at analysis)
LRRH Chart notes (C version, plot only!)
LRRH MindMap notes
LRRH Past/Present notes (DoaS format)
LRRH One Word: Summary + text excerpts + images
Looking for law-ruled paper (for 2*6*2 notes)? Link to scanned copy.